East Oregonian
February 22, 2002

Radio system completion expected by next year

By HEIDI SODERSTROM
of the East Oregonian

HERMISTON--Sites for the 450-megahertz radio system that would give first responders a way to communicate with each other during an emergency at the Umatilla Chemical Depot are still being acquired but the system should be completed by February 2003.

Dean Hane, consultant for ADCOMM Engineering Company working with the Umatilla County team to acquire the radio sites, told the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program Governing Board Wednesday afternoon that two of the seven sites are secured. The other five still have details to be hammered out, he said.

"We can still make the February 2003 implementation date. I think it's still a goal," Hane told the board. But there is a need to get started on construction soon, he added. "It would be difficult to find a reason to not have construction done this summer if we have site acquisition done in 60 days."

Umatilla County took on the responsibility of acquiring the sites in August. When all the sites are acquired, the county will hand responsibility over to the Oregon State Police. The 450-megahertz radio system is key to the CSEPP's ability to respond to a large-scale emergency because of the shortcomings of the current VHF radio system.

The VHF system has been upgraded the last few years for the CSEPP system, but a 450-megahertz system would allow first responders from Umatilla and Morrow counties, and Benton and Klickitat counties in Washington, to talk with each other without fear of losing service in some areas, said Meg Capps, program manager for Umatilla County CSEPP. The first responders could use the VHF system as backup.

"So obviously I'm not comfortable in letting this go to the design phase until we get these sites tied down," Umatilla County Commissioner Dennis Doherty said Wednesday. The two sites settled on are the PGG site at Feedville and Hinkle just outside Hermiston and the Gleason site between Heppner and Echo. Capps said the Silussi site, in Washington north of McNary Dam, should be secured as soon as some paperwork is completed.

A site on Robinson Hill just outside Heppner is a little more complicated. Some land owner issues need to be resolved, Hane said. Capps said negotiations are under way with the city of Pendleton concerning a tower site on the south hill, near the water reservoir. Leases still need to be worked out, she said.

The Golgatha site in Washington, north of Boardman, is awaiting a lease agreement with U.S. Cellular, Capps said. The Coombs Canyon site 12 miles southwest of Pendleton needs only to have paperwork "tightened up," Hane said, who told Morrow County Commissioner John Wenholz that all the negotiations are "doable."
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Reporter Heidi Soderstrom can be reached at 1-800-522-0255 (ext. 1-303 after hours) or by e-mail at hsoderstrom@eastoregonian.com.